Apparatus for the formation of bundles of wire



Aug. 16, 1966 A. RODENBUSCH 3,266,412

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APPARATUS FOR THE FORMATION OF BUNDLES OF WIRE Filed Aug. 5, 1965 v 8Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR. A- Rodenbusc/r BY JM QM,- $4M 6, 1966 A.RODENBUSCH 3,266,412

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BY A, R0 a'cwbaacA JWY JM United States Patent 3,266,412 APPARATUS FORTHE FORMATION OF BUNDLES 0F WIRE Alfred Rodenbusch, Dusseldorf, Germany,assignor to Schloemanu Aktiengesellschaft Filed Aug. 5, 1965, Ser. No.477,400 11 Claims. (Cl. 100-50) This application is ac-ontinuation-in-part application of my application Serial No. 383,098,filed July 16, 1964 (now abandoned).

Rolled wire is handled in the form of circular rings or coils, each coilbeing loosely bound or lashed twice, as a rule. For inland commerce,coils of wire are regularly dispatched in this form.

When a multiple loading is to be expected, in the case of overseasdeliveries for example, such a binding is however as a ruleinsufficient. In such cases bundles are usually made up of a number ofcoils of wire, four coils for example, by binding them together In thisconnection it has been found that binding at only two positions of theperiphery is not sufficient.

The apparatus hereinafter described renders possible an operativelysimple and economical production of bundles of wire with more than twobindings, preferably with four.

The apparatus according to the invention comprises, above a tablecapable of being raised and lowered, two rotatable and co-axial pressurejaws or spiders, spaced apart from one another, and each provided with aplurality of arms, at least one of the pressure jaws being provided witha drive by which it can be turned about its axis through at least about90, and at least one of them being provided with a drive by which it canbe displaced in an axial direction. The table drive is preferably soadjusted in relation to the pressure-jaw drive that the lowering of thetable already begins after only a part of the pressure-jaw movement hasfirst been effected.

One form of construction of the invention is diagrammaticallyillustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURES 1, 3 and 5 show the apparatus in elevation in three differentoperative positions;

FIGURES 2, 4 and 6 show end views of FIGURES 1, 3 and 5;

FIGURE 7 shows a modified form of Wire-binding press, partly inelevation and partly in longitudinal section;

FIGURE 8 shows the wire-binding press in FIGURE 7 in plan viewfromabove;

FIGURE 9 shows a cross section through the wirebinding press on thesection line IXIX in FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 10 shows a cross section through the wirebinding press on thesection line XX in FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 11 shows an end view of the wire-binding pressof FIGURE 7 fromthe right-hand end;

FIGURE 12 shows a view of the left-hand end of the bearing of theleft-hand pressure spider of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 13 shows a hydraulic circuit; and

FIGURE 14 shows an electric circuit.

The apparatus illustrated in FIGURES 1 to 6 comprises a base frame 1with a vertical wall 1a, in the upper part of which a bearing isprovided for the shaft 2 of a pressure jaw or spider 3 provided withfour arms. The shaft 2 is rotatable by a drive not shown, which may beprovided in a casing 4, and which is preferably hydraulic, it being as arule sufficient that the shaft should be rotatable through 90.

Upon a horizontal track 1b on the base frame 1, by means of supportingwheels 5, a travelling frame 6 can move horizontally. A vertical wall orcheek 6a on this Patented August 16, 1966 frame is provided with abearing for the spindle 7 of a travelling pressure jaw or spider 8,provided with'four arms 8a, 8b, 8c and 8d. The spindle 7 has no drive,but is freely rotatable. The horizontal movement of the travelling frameis effected by a hydraulic drive, not represented, which may be providedwholly or partly in the casing 4. In the horizontal part of the baseframe 1, hydraulic cylinders 9 are provided, the piston rods 10 of whichcarry a table plate 11.

The arrangement works in the following manner:

After the travelling frame 6 has moved as far as possible outwards, anumber of coils of wire 12 (four such coils being shown in the drawings)are placed upon the table 11, which for this purpose is moved into thehighest position, represented by FIGURES 1 and 2. The coils may beplaced upon the table 11 by means of a crane for example. To enable sucha crane to bring the coils easily on to the table/11, this table israised so high that the spike of the crane, engaging in the interior ofthe coils of wire 12, can conveniently pass through between two arms ofthe pressure jaw 3. The table 11 is then lowered so far, by means of thelifting cylinders 9, that the central axis of the wire coils 12 islocated substantially in the center line of the shaft 2 and of thespindle 7. The travelling frame 6 is then moved in the direction of thearrow P in FIGURE 1, and at the same time the table '11 is furtherlowered, as indicated by dotted lines in FIGURE 3, so as to obviate anyinjury to the surface of the wire.

As soon as the coils of wire 12 have been compressed far enough, theyare provided with a comm-on binding, which extends either along twoopposite sides and transversely over the external surface of the bundle,this arrangement not being shown, or on two opposite sides with onebinding 13 each, as shown in FIGURE 4. The binding or lashing 13consists for instance of a steel band. The pressure jaw 3 is then turnedthrough in the direction of the arrow Q in FIGURE 6, so that the arm 8dassumes the position previously occupied by the arm 8a. It therebybecomes easy to apply two further bindings or lashings 14.

The travelling frame 6 is then retracted in the direction opposite tothe arrow P in FIGURE 5, so that the coils of wire connected with oneanother by the bindings 13 and 14 then come to lie upon the table 11.After the travelling frame 6 has been moved to its outermost position,the table 11 is again brought into the position which it had in FIGURE1, so that the coils of wire 12, now bound together into a bundle, canbe raised again by the lifting apparatus.

The arrangement of the constructional example comprises an ejector 15,the ram 15a of which can be hydrau lically advanced, and can presslaterally against the bundle of wire raised by the table 11, in such away that the bundle of wire is rolled off the table 11.

An essential feature of the invention is the rotatability of thepressure jaws, which renders it possible to provide more than twobindings or lashings in a simple manner for each bundle.

Thewire-binding press illustrated in FIGURES 7-14 consists essentiallyof a frame 20, with a track 21 (FIG- URE 10) for a carriage 22, and ahydraulic power unit 23, which operates, by way of a number of pipesupon various pistons, which are guided in cylinders, and are connectedwith levers.

This wire-binding press operates in the following manner:

Upon the switch 25 (FIGURE 13) being closed, the motor 26 drives thepressure-medium pump 24. This pump sucks pressure fluid, oil forexample, out of the sump 27, and forces it into the pipe 28. To thispipe 28 is connected a safety valve 29, which limits the oil to amaximum pressure by gauge of 140 atmospheres. The pressure fluid flowsout from the pipe 28, through a reversing valve 30, which passes thepressure oil back directly into the oil sump 27 if it is not taken offby the further consumers. After passing the reversing valve 30 thepressure oil is supplied through the pipe 31 to the consumers. For thispurpose the reversing valves 32 and 33 are connected with the pipe 31.The reversing valve 33, upon the machine being switched on, stands inthe position shown in FIGURE 13, while the reversing valve 32 has beenthrown over to through-flow by a pressure relay or watcher 35 and themagnet M8. The storage vessel 34, holding about 30 liters, is now filledby way of the pipe 38. After reaching a predetermined. gauge pressure,for instance 70 atmospheres, the flow of current to the magnet MS isinterrupted by the pressure-watcher 35. A spring impels the pressureslide of the reversing valve 32 back into the position shown. The safetyvalve 36 limits the pressure, to 30 atmospheres, for example, if thepressure-watcher 35, owing to a fault, fails to shut off the supply ofpressure fluid through the reversing valve 32. A pressure gauge 37connected with the pipe 38 indicates the pressure of the fluid therein,which is also the pressure prevailing in the storage vessel 34. Thepressure in the pipe 31 is shown by the pressure gauge 82.

In the initial position for putting in the coils of wire to becompressed, the table 40 is in its uppermost position (FIGURE 9). Meanssuch as a spike-lift stacker, not shown, lays a number of loose wirebundles on the table 40.

By pressing the push-button Drl (FIGURE 14) the relay R1 is subjected tovoltage (24 volts for instance),

'and actuates the associated switch r1, which, by way of the relay R2,r2, closes a circuit which includes the magnet M2. This magnet M2actuates the reversing valve 41 (FIGURE 13), so that by way of the pipe42, the throttle 43 and the pipes 44 and 45, the piston 46 is displacedin the hydraulic cylinder 47, and therefore the table 40 is lowered. Inthe valve 41 the control slide is for this purpose displaced downwards,so that the slide member 48 connects the pipes 44 and with one another,and also the pipes 50 and 51. By the pipe 51 the pressure fluid flowingback out of the cylinder 47 is admitted to the general sump 27.

The table 40 (FIGURE 7) is raised and lowered by means of the hydrauliccylinder 47, the piston 46, the bellcrank levers 52 and 53, and theconnecting rod 54. The combined levers 52 and 53 are for this purposepivotally supported in the frame 24) by the bearings 55 and 56. By thedouble joint 58 the piston rod 57 and the connecting-rod 54 areconnected with the lower arm of the bellcrank lever 52. The joint 59connects the connecting-rod 54 with the lower arm of the bell-cranklever 53. By the joints 60 and 61 the upper arms of the bell-cranklevers 52 and 53 are connected with the table 46.

After the pressing of the push-button Drl, and after the electrical andhydraulic switching operations described above, the table 40 descendsuntil a switch cam 62 (FIG- URE 7) on the switch rod 64 actuates aswitch 63, and thereby opens the switch S1 (FIGURE 14). The relay R2, r2is thereby released, so that the magnet M2 is deenergised. In thereversing valve 41 (FIGURE 13) the control slide is returned by a springinto the mid position. The switch cam 62 is so arranged that the tableholds, if the coils of wire 70, arranged as shown in chain-dotted lines,are standing in the middle of the press spiders 67 and 68.

By the switch 63 and the switch cam 62 the switch contact S2 (FIGURE 14)is at the same time closed. The relay R3, r3 is thereby actuated, aswell as R11, and the magnet M1 pulls up. The pull magnet M1 displacesthe control slide in the reversing valve 33, in such a way that thesliding member 71 connects the pipes 31 and 72 with one another, andalso the pipes 74 and 73, and the pressure medium flows into thecylinders 75 and 76 and displaces the pistons 77 and 78, as a result ofwhich the lefthand press spider 68 (FIGURE 7), with the carriage 22, ismoved towards the right-hand press spider 67. Thus, the bundles of wireplaced between the press spiders are compressed. The compressionpressure required for this purpose is provided by the pressure-fluidpump 24, which is capable of raising the pressure up to the point atwhich the safety valve 29 responds, to 140 atmospheres, for instance. Tothe pipe 72 is connected a pipe 83, and to the latter a storage vessel84, as well as the pressure watchers D1 and D2. The pressure watcher D1,upon a pressure of 70 atmospheres for instance, being exceeded, closesthe switch contact d1 (FIGURE 14), so that the magnet M2 pulls up again.Since the pressure of 70 atmospheres for instance is large enough, thetable 41) is now lowered further, until it reaches its lowest position,in order to hold fast the wire lashings 70 between the pressure spiders67 and 68. Upon the arrival of the table in its lowest position a switchcam 69 on the switch rod 64 can release the contact r 1. It is howeveralso possible to hold the table fast in its lowest position underpressure, and to close the contact Dr3/ 4 subsequently by pressing thepush-button Dr3, so that the relay R4 responds, and the contact r4/2 isclosed and the contact r4/1 is opened. In the further course of theoperations the contact r4/1 is closed again by opening the contact S11.The pressure in the cylinders 75 and 76 is meanwhile raised furtheruntil the pressure-watcher D2 responds, at 100 atmospheres, for example,and releases the switch contact d2, so that the magnet M1 istie-energised, and the controlling slide-valve of the reversing valve 33returns by spring force into its original position. The pressure at thepressure spiders 67 and 68 is maintained, since the leakage losses arecompensated for by the storage 84.

While the pressure spiders are compressing the bundles of wire, abinding is effected with a suitable steel band on each side of thewire-las hing press. Thereupon the pushbutton D12 is pressed.

By pressing the push-button Dr2 a relay R5, r5 is actuated, and one ofthe magnets, M3 or M4 is energised. The magnet M3 is energised if theswitch contact S3 is closed, whereas the magnet M4 is energised if theswitch contact S4 is closed. The switch contacts S3 and S4 are connectedwith a slide-switch, which is reversed shortly before the pressurespider reaches its end position. Such a slide-switch is preferablymounted on the right-hand bearing block 66. As shown in FIGURE 14, themagnet M4 pulls up, and brings the controlling slide of the reversingvalve 39 into the position shown in FIGURE 13. The piston 79 is therebydisplaced in the cylinder 86. The piston rod 81 is connected with thelever 85 (FIGURE 11), which is non-rotatably mounted on the shaft 86.The pressure spiders 67 and 68 compressing the wire bundles are turnedthrough about by the displacement of the piston 79. To maintain thisangular adjustment a notched disc 87 and a spring-controlled latch 88are provided on the left-hand bearing block 65 (FIG- URES 7 and 12).

The notched disc 87 is mounted fast upon a shaft a, carrying theleft-hand spider 68, and by this shaft is positively connected with thespider. On its periphery the disc 87 has two arcuate recesses or notchesb spaced 90 apart, for engaging a roller c rotatably mounted on thelatch 88, which is slidab'ly guided in the associated bearing block 65.The radius of curvature of each of the arcuate recesses b is equal tothe radius of curvature of the roller 0. The latch 83 is loaded by aspring d, which constantly urges the roller c against the disc 87, sothat by engaging the roller 0 in one or other of the recesses b itaccurately adjusts the spider 68 in one of two predetermined angularpositions.

The next two bindings are now established, for which purpose steelstrip, for instance Signode band or wire, may likewise advantageously beemployed.

After these four bindings have been carried out, the push-button D23 ispressed, whereby at the same time the contacts Dr3/1 and Dr3/4 areclosed, and the contacts Dr3/ 2 and Dr3/ 3 are opened. By the closing ofthe contact Dr3/1 the relay R6, r6 is actuated, and the magnets M6 andM5 pull up. The magnet M5 displaces the controlling slide of thereversing value 41 (FIGURE 13), so that the pipes 44 and 50 areconnected with one another, and also the pipes 45 and 51. The table 40is thereby raised out of its lowest position, so as to support thefinished wire bundles. At the same time the left-hand pressure spider 68is returned towards the left (FIGURE 7) into its initial position, 'bythe magnet M6 pulling up and the controlling slide of the reversingvalve 33, and by the difference between the forces acting upon the twoends of the pistons 77 and 78. Hence the pres sure fluid is passed outof the left-hand portions of the cylinders 75 and 76, through the pipe72, the slide-valve member 90 of the hydraulic reversingvalve 33 and thepipe 74, into the other sides of the cylinders 75 and 76. Since nopiston rods are provided in the cylinders on this side, the pressurefluid can expand, so that a fall of pressure occurs, which is partlycompensated for by the storage 84. The contact d1 is therefore re-openedby the pressure-watcher D1.

This return of the left-hand pressure spider 68 is effected more rapidlythan the rise of the table 40, since the pressure fluid, before enteringthe pipe 44, has to pass a throttle valve 43. Accordingly, upon thepressure spider 68 reaching its end position, first the contacts S6 andS11 are released, and then, upon the arrival of the table 40 in the midposition, the contact S5 is opened by the cam 62 on the switch rod 64and the switch 63. The circuit with the magnets M5 and M6 is therebydeenergised, so that the controlling slides of the reversing switches(or valves) 33 and 41 return to their zero positions.

The table is held in the position such that the bundles of wire 70, asalready described above, are located in the middle of the pressurespiders 67 and 68 (FIGURE With the release of the contact S5, the switchcontact S7 is at the same time closed, this being lodged in the switchcasing 63. The relay R7, r7 is hereby actuated, and then the relays R8,r8/ 1, r8/ 2, and also R9, r9, and the magnet M7. Now, by the relay R8,the contact 18/1 is opened, and the relay R7, r7 is thus de-energised.In the circuit R9, R8, r8/ 2, the contact Dr3/ 2 takes over theinterrupting of the flow of current, and thus the releasing of theself-holding of the relay R8, r8/2, upon the push-button Dr3 beingpressed.

The magnet M7 displaces the controlling slide of the reversing valve 91,in such a way that the sliding member 92 connects the pipes 93 and 95with one another, and also the pipes 94 and 96. The pressure fluid fromthe pipe 93 is hereby forced through the pipe 95 into the cylinders 97and 98, so that the pistons 99 and 100, with the piston rods 101 and102, actuate the ejector 103 (FIGURES 8 and 10). The finished wirebundle 70 is thus thrown out on to the discharge track 105 and into thechannel 106. From the position shown in FIGURE 10 the wire bundle 107 istransported for shipment with a spike-lift stacker, not shown.

When the ejector 103 arrives in the upper position, the contact S8(FIGURE 14) is closed by a limit switch, so that the relay R10, r10/ 1,r10/2 is actuated. The contact r10/2 is thus opened, as a result ofwhich the flow of current through the magnet M7 is interrupted, and thecontrolling slide of the reversing valve 91 (FIGURE 13) goes back underspring pressure into the position there shown. The ejector 103 thereuponreturns into its lower position.

The ejector, upon reaching the upper position, actuates a further limitswitch, which closes the contact S9 for a short time, and thus allowsthe magnet M5 to pull up. Now the relay R12, r12 responds, and keeps themagnet M5 under voltage. The magnet M5 displaces the controlling slideof the reversing valve 41, as already described above, and causes thetable 40 to travel into its uppermost position, in which a limit switchreleases the contact S10, so that the magnet M5 is de-energised, and thecontrolling slide of the reversing valve 41 goes back into its midposition.

When the contacts S2 and 23 are open, R11 is not under voltage, so thatthe current relay D3, when the pressure in the branch circuit of thepipes 38 land 42 is too small, switches on the magnet M8 by closing thecontact d3, whereby this branch circuit, particularly the storage vessel34, is recharged. During this charging the relay R13, r13 opens. Thecurrent relay D3 terminates the charging operation by releasing thecontact d3 and switching off the magnet M8, so that the reversing valve32 moves into the locked position.

With the contact d3 opened, the contact r13 of the relay R13 is closed.If at the same time the circuit S2, R3, M1, R11 is open, the magnet M9receives current, and throws over the reversing valve 30 to the otherposition, in which the pressure fluid flows back directly into the sump27, and the safety valve 29 is not loaded. As soon as thepressure-watcher D3 responds, or the magnet M1 is switched on, the relayR13 or R11 switches off the magnet M9 by the contacts r13 or r11/2, sothat the pressure fluid can be supplied to the consumers through thepipe 31.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for compressing coils of wire into bunches, comprising: twooo-axially arranged rotatable pressure jaw-s facing one another withplane unobstructed radial surfaces, an indexing rotary drive forrotating one of the pressure jaws through a predetermined angle, thesecond pressure jaw being adapted to rotate in unison with the drivenjaw, means for displacing one of the pressure jaws axially to applypressure to coils of wire placed between the pressure jaws, a tablearranged underneath the space between the pressure jaws, means forraising and lowering the table from a mid position, in which coils ofwire resting thereon would be substantially co-axia-l with the rotatablepressure jaws, into positions above and below the said mid position, anda sensing switch for controlling and checking the adjustment of thetable in its lmid position.

2. Apparatus for compressing coils of wire into bunches as claimed inclaim 1, the pressure jaws being formed by spiders having arms arrangedcrosswise, the arms, when in any adjusted position, being inclined insuch a way that the table, when extending longitudinally beyond eitherof the pressure jaws, can ascend between the inclined arms.

3. Apparatus for compressing coils of wire into bunches as claimed inclaim 1, the means for displacing one of the pressure jaws including afirst piston andcylinder unit, the means for raising and lowering thetable including a second piston-and-cylinder unit, and the apparatusfurther comprising: means for supplying pressure fluid to the said firstpiston-and-cylinder unit when the table is in its mid position, andpressure-controlled means for diverting part of the pressure fluid tothe said second piston-and-cylinder unit to lower the table when abouthalf the maximum compression of the coils of wire is achieved.

4. Apparatus for compressing coils of wire into bunches as claimed inclaim 1, further comprising automatic actuating devices for initiatingand controlling the following operations in succession: lowering thetable from an upper position to the mid position, holding the table inthe mid position, displacing the movable pressure jaw towards the otherpressure jaw, and lowering the table from the midposition as soon as thepressure jaws have effectively gripped the coils of wire placed betweenthem.

5. Apparatus for compressing coils of wire into bunches as claimed inclaim 4, the said automatic actuating devices beingelectro-hydraulically operated.

'6. Apparatus for compressing coils of wire into bunches as claimed inclaim 5, further comprising a pressurewatcher for measuring the pressureexerted by the pressure jaws, this pressure-watcher being adapted toinitiate the lowering of the table out of the midspo-sition as soon asthe pressure exerted has reached a predetermined fraction of the maximumpressure contemplated.

7. Apparatus for compressing coils of wire into buncihes as claimed inclaim 4, further comprising means for controlling simultaneously theaxial retraction of the displaceable pressure jaw and the raising of thetable from its lowered position into its mid position.

8. Apparatus for compressing coils of Wire into bunches as claimed inclaim 1, further comprising an ejector adapted to exert 'a thrustagainst one side of a bunch of coils of wire resting on the table whenthe table is in its mid-position, thereby rolling the bunch off thetable.

9. Apparatus for compressing coils of wire into bunches as claimed inclaim 8, further comprising an inclined dis charge track on to which theejector pushes the completed bunches, and a reception channel adapted toreceive the completed bunches from the discharge track.

10. Apparatus for compressing coils of wire into bunches as claimed inclaim 1, further comprising pressure fluid cylinders arranged underneaththe table and extending parallel to the axis of rotation of the pressurejaws and pistons slidable in the said cylinders for axially displacingthe di-splaceable pressure jaw and for raising and lowering the table.

11. Apparatus for compressing coils of wire into bunches as claimed inclaim 10, further comprising bel-lcrank levers connecting the table withat least one of the said pistons.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,822,086 2/1958Franks.

2,883,925 4/1959 Pritchard et a l. 100-1 2,901,966 9/1959 Bocher 100122,920,555 1/1960 Sherriff 100-214 2,930,313 3/1960 Bocher 100-33,129,658 4/1964 Valente 100218 3,195,444 7/1965 McLean l007 FOREIGNPATENTS 1,049,294 1/ 1959 Germany.

WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner.

BILLY J. WILHITE, Examiner.

1. APPARATUS FOR COMPRESSING COILS OF WIRE INTO BUNCHES, COMPRISING: TWOCO-AXIALLY ARRANGED ROTATABLE PRESSURE JAWS FACING ONE ANOTHER WITHPLANE UNOBSTRUCTED RADIAL SURFACES, AN INDEXING ROTARY DRIVE FORROTATING ONE OF THE PRESSURE JAWS THROUGH A PREDETERMINED ANGLE, THESECOND PRESSURE JAW BEING ADAPTED TO ROTATE IN UNISON WITH THE DRIVENJAW, MEANS FOR DISPLACING ONE OF THE PRESSURE JAWS AXIALLY TO APPLYPRESSURE TO COILS OF WIRE PLACED BETWEEN THE PRESSURE JAWS, A TABLEARRANGED UNDERNEATH THE SPACE BETWEEN THE PRESSURE JAWS, MEANS FORRAISING AND LOWERING THE TABLE FROM A MID POSITION, IN WHICH COILS OFWIRE RESTING THEREON WOULD BE SUBSTANTIALLY CO-AXIAL WITH THE ROTATABLEPRESSURE JAWS, INTO POSITIONS ABOVE AND BELOW THE SAID MID POSITION, ANDA SENSING SWITCH FOR CONTROLLING AND CHECKING THE ADJUSTMENT OF THETABLE IN ITS MID POSITION.